Published: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 9:53 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 9:53 p.m.

In a race that helped ensure Republicans will likely retain control of the U.S. House, conservative GOP businessman Mark Meadows beat Democrat Hayden Rogers to gain the 11th District Congressional seat Tuesday.

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With 11 of 17 counties reporting at 10:30 p.m., Meadows had cinched 183,350 votes, or 57 percent of the district, to Rogers' 135,372, or 42 percent. Meadows won Henderson County with 32,275 votes, or 63 percent of the vote, compared with Rogers' 18,539, or 36 percent.

In an acceptance speech marked by its conciliatory tone, Meadows thanked Rogers for "running an issues-based, clean campaign." He also thanked retiring Congressman Heath Shuler for serving the district for six years and asked supporters to applaud both men.

"We've worked for 15 months to get to this point, but really the job is ahead of us," Meadows told about 150 supporters at a victory rally in Asheville's Biltmore Park Hilton. "It's now time to not cast blame or focus on the past or why we are where we are. It's time to put forth a plan to make sure that we get jobs back, that we protect our liberties, that we make sure that what we do in Western North Carolina is good for families, for jobs, for businesses and for the people."

When he began the race 15 months ago, Meadows said, "I had friends who had lost their jobs, friends who had lost their homes, and many of them had lost their hope. I think it's time that together we really work to reclaim this for Western North Carolina.

"I have a commitment to make to you, that I will do my very best to not be a congressman, but to be a representative to the people of Western North Carolina."

In a statement released shortly after the race was called around 9 p.m., Rogers acknowledged "this race was an uphill battle before it even started. I chose to run because I believed it was the right thing to do for the people of Western North Carolina, our country and the democratic process."

After congratulating Meadows on his win, Rogers said his commitment to helping WNC remains. He said he will "continue working to improve our communities and move (the region) and this great nation forward."

Hendersonville resident Jeff Miller, the GOP candidate for the 11th District in 2010, said there were several reasons for Meadows' win this time around: an even amount of name recognition between him and Rogers, a more balanced race in terms of money, a redrawn district favoring the GOP and a superior ground game.

"In the last race, Heath Shuler spent over $3 million," Miller said. "That was just in the general. We spent $1 million in the primary and the general. So you had a huge imbalance of money there. This time, it was pretty evenly distributed and both had similar name recognition, and it was a very different district. Plus, I've never seen anybody work any harder than Mark did. He hit every county, 17 counties, more times than you can count. He just ran a very good campaign."

In his acceptance speech, Meadows gave tribute to the foundation that Miller laid during his 2010 campaign against Shuler. "I want to make sure that you know that we appreciate what you've done and we finished the job tonight, Jeff," Meadows said.

Although both candidates had roughly the same amount of cash-on-hand going into the final two weeks of the campaign, Meadows outraised and outspent Rogers by about $300,000 over the course of the campaign, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. The extra cash helped Meadows get a jump on Rogers with television ads and other media buys.

Traditionally, the 11th District was one of the most competitive congressional districts in the state, switching between intervals of Republican and Democratic control since the early 1980s.

Democrat Jamie Clarke, for instance, won the seat in 1982, but lost to arch rival Republican Bill Hendon two years later by just two percentage points, only to regain the seat in 1986 by one percentage point.

Clarke represented the 11th District until Transylvania County tree farmer Charles H. Taylor, a Republican, beat him in 1990. Taylor was re-elected six times, until former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler defeated him in 2006.

But when a Republican-controlled N.C. legislature redrew the district in 2011 to exclude Democrat-heavy parts of Asheville, and added conservative hotbeds in Caldwell, Mitchell and Avery counties, the stage was set for a GOP takeover.

Subsequently, Shuler announced that he would not seek another term. Last February, Shuler's righthand man, Rogers, entered the fray.

Meadows, a Tea Party favorite and self-proclaimed "Christian conservative" real estate developer from Cashiers, emerged the top vote-getter in an eight-person Republican primary and then trounced runner-up Vance Patterson with 76 percent of the vote in the runoff. He was endorsed by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, the Tea Party Express, the Family Research Council's PAC, State Sen. Tom Apodaca and Miller.

Results of the race will not be official until a canvass on Friday, Nov. 16.

<p>In a race that helped ensure Republicans will likely retain control of the U.S. House, conservative GOP businessman Mark Meadows beat Democrat Hayden Rogers to gain the 11th District Congressional seat Tuesday.</p><p>With 11 of 17 counties reporting at 10:30 p.m., Meadows had cinched 183,350 votes, or 57 percent of the district, to Rogers' 135,372, or 42 percent. Meadows won Henderson County with 32,275 votes, or 63 percent of the vote, compared with Rogers' 18,539, or 36 percent. </p><p>In an acceptance speech marked by its conciliatory tone, Meadows thanked Rogers for "running an issues-based, clean campaign." He also thanked retiring Congressman Heath Shuler for serving the district for six years and asked supporters to applaud both men. </p><p>"We've worked for 15 months to get to this point, but really the job is ahead of us," Meadows told about 150 supporters at a victory rally in Asheville's Biltmore Park Hilton. "It's now time to not cast blame or focus on the past or why we are where we are. It's time to put forth a plan to make sure that we get jobs back, that we protect our liberties, that we make sure that what we do in Western North Carolina is good for families, for jobs, for businesses and for the people."</p><p>When he began the race 15 months ago, Meadows said, "I had friends who had lost their jobs, friends who had lost their homes, and many of them had lost their hope. I think it's time that together we really work to reclaim this for Western North Carolina. </p><p>"I have a commitment to make to you, that I will do my very best to not be a congressman, but to be a representative to the people of Western North Carolina."</p><p>In a statement released shortly after the race was called around 9 p.m., Rogers acknowledged "this race was an uphill battle before it even started. I chose to run because I believed it was the right thing to do for the people of Western North Carolina, our country and the democratic process."</p><p>After congratulating Meadows on his win, Rogers said his commitment to helping WNC remains. He said he will "continue working to improve our communities and move (the region) and this great nation forward."</p><p>Hendersonville resident Jeff Miller, the GOP candidate for the 11th District in 2010, said there were several reasons for Meadows' win this time around: an even amount of name recognition between him and Rogers, a more balanced race in terms of money, a redrawn district favoring the GOP and a superior ground game.</p><p>"In the last race, Heath Shuler spent over $3 million," Miller said. "That was just in the general. We spent $1 million in the primary and the general. So you had a huge imbalance of money there. This time, it was pretty evenly distributed and both had similar name recognition, and it was a very different district. Plus, I've never seen anybody work any harder than Mark did. He hit every county, 17 counties, more times than you can count. He just ran a very good campaign."</p><p>In his acceptance speech, Meadows gave tribute to the foundation that Miller laid during his 2010 campaign against Shuler. "I want to make sure that you know that we appreciate what you've done and we finished the job tonight, Jeff," Meadows said.</p><p>Although both candidates had roughly the same amount of cash-on-hand going into the final two weeks of the campaign, Meadows outraised and outspent Rogers by about $300,000 over the course of the campaign, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. The extra cash helped Meadows get a jump on Rogers with television ads and other media buys.</p><p>Traditionally, the 11th District was one of the most competitive congressional districts in the state, switching between intervals of Republican and Democratic control since the early 1980s.</p><p>Democrat Jamie Clarke, for instance, won the seat in 1982, but lost to arch rival Republican Bill Hendon two years later by just two percentage points, only to regain the seat in 1986 by one percentage point. </p><p>Clarke represented the 11th District until Transylvania County tree farmer Charles H. Taylor, a Republican, beat him in 1990. Taylor was re-elected six times, until former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler defeated him in 2006.</p><p>Shuler's brand of Blue Dog Democrat — pro-life, pro-gun and fiscally conservative, yet moderate on environmental issues and anti-free trade — helped him retain the seat for three terms. </p><p>But when a Republican-controlled N.C. legislature redrew the district in 2011 to exclude Democrat-heavy parts of Asheville, and added conservative hotbeds in Caldwell, Mitchell and Avery counties, the stage was set for a GOP takeover.</p><p>Subsequently, Shuler announced that he would not seek another term. Last February, Shuler's righthand man, Rogers, entered the fray.</p><p>Meadows, a Tea Party favorite and self-proclaimed "Christian conservative" real estate developer from Cashiers, emerged the top vote-getter in an eight-person Republican primary and then trounced runner-up Vance Patterson with 76 percent of the vote in the runoff. He was endorsed by Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, the Tea Party Express, the Family Research Council's PAC, State Sen. Tom Apodaca and Miller.</p><p>Results of the race will not be official until a canvass on Friday, Nov. 16. </p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>